Vishy Anand managed to put pressure on the position of the World Champion in the fifth game of their match in Sochi. Despite the surprising choice of Magnus Carlsen of a QID, the Challenger came well prepared and introduced a novelty which gave him a certain pull. Magnus, however defended flawlessly and secured the half point after all the resources were exhausted.
A game that I liked (ChessBase 12)
[Event "World Chess Championship 2014"]
[Site "Sochi"]
[Date "2014.11.14"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Black "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "E16"]
[WhiteElo "2785"]
[BlackElo "2863"]
[PlyCount "78"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 {Anand decided to avoid the Nimtzo-Indian defense
that brought success to his opponent in their previous match.} b6 4. g3 Bb4+ {
A small surprise by Carlsen. The last time the World Champion played like that
was back in 2007. The previous encounter of the adversaries saw} (4... Bb7 5.
Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Bd2 Bf6 9. Qc2 Nxd2 10. Qxd2 d6 {with
approximate equality, Anand,V (2780)-Carlsen,M (2843) Sao Paulo/Bilbao 2012})
5. Bd2 Be7 6. Nc3 Bb7 7. Bg2 c6 {An interesting moment of the game. Magnus
blocked the possible d4-d5 advance, so typical for the QID.} ({For instance,
after the more common} 7... O-O {White can react with the pawn sacrifice} 8. d5
$5 exd5 9. Nh4 c6 10. cxd5 Nxd5 11. Nf5 Nxc3 12. Bxc3 $44 {as in Nikolic,P
(2485)-Kavalek,L (2590) Wijk aan Zee 1982}) 8. e4 d5 9. exd5 {This is the
modern treatment of the position. The other capture does not provide any
advantage for the first player, know from the following game:} (9. cxd5 cxd5
10. e5 Ne4 11. O-O O-O 12. Re1 Nxd2 $1 13. Qxd2 (13. Nxd2 Nc6 14. Nb3 a5 15. a4
Ba6 $10) 13... Ba6 14. a3 Nc6 15. b4 Bc4 16. Qe3 b5 $10 {Karpov,A (2780)
-Tiviakov,S (2625) Linares 1995}) 9... cxd5 10. Ne5 {The pressure on the long
diagonal is unpleasant for Black but once that he finishes the development it
should be nivilated.} O-O 11. O-O Nc6 12. cxd5 Nxe5 {All of this was played
fairly quickly and Anand also played quite fast the actual novelty of the game}
13. d6 $146 {White at least gains the bishop pair.} ({The other move promises
nothing to White} 13. dxe5 Nxd5 14. Nxd5 Bxd5 15. Bc3 Bxg2 16. Qxd8 Rfxd8 {
with a quick draw in Komljenovic,D (2465)-Palac,M (2561) Sibenik 2010}) 13...
Nc6 {The only move. Weak is} (13... Bxg2 14. dxe7 Qxe7 15. dxe5 Bxf1 16. exf6
Qxf6 17. Qxf1 $16) 14. dxe7 Qxe7 15. Bg5 {White owes the bishop pair but he
also has an isolated pawn on d4 which can be easily attacked. He need to hurry
with the development of the initiative as otherwise the pressure along the d
file might be quite annoying for him.} h6 {Diagram [#]} 16. d5 $1 {The typical
central break is Anand's best choice. After} (16. Bxf6 Qxf6 17. d5 exd5 18.
Qxd5 ({Black can even grab the pawn in case of} 18. Nxd5 Qxb2) 18... Rad8 {
Black equalizes with ease.}) 16... Na5 $1 {The best defense.} ({In case of the
obvious} 16... Rad8 {Diagram [#] White could have sacrificed the queen with}
17. Bxf6 Qxf6 18. dxc6 $1 Rxd1 19. Rfxd1 Bc8 20. Rac1 {for the queen White has
only a R and a B but the pawn on c6 is restricting the black bishop and is
enormous power. The white pieces are generally controlling the board which
means that this should be compensation with great interest.}) 17. Bxf6 Qxf6 18.
dxe6 Qxe6 {Magnus does not like to allow weaknesses in his camp.} (18... fxe6
19. Bxb7 Nxb7 20. Qe2 Nc5 21. Rad1 $14) 19. Re1 {Diagram [#]} ({I suspect that
the Challenger could have posed more problems if he had transposed the moves
with} 19. Bxb7 $5 Nxb7 20. Qf3 {[%csl Rf6] The difference is that now the
black Q does not have access to the f6 square} Nc5 21. Rfe1 Qc4 (21... Qf6 22.
Qxf6 gxf6 23. Rad1 {looks nice for White with the pawns doubled on the f file.}
) 22. b3 Qa6 23. Nd5 $14) 19... Qf6 {Diagram [#] Now Black is seemingly in
control and as the position is very symmetrical the slight innitiative of the
first player should slowly evaporate.} 20. Nd5 $1 {Vishy fights for the
initiative!} ({One curious line runs} 20. Bxb7 Nxb7 21. Qe2 Rfd8 22. Rad1 Rxd1
{Not the only defense, of course} 23. Rxd1 Rd8 24. Rxd8+ Qxd8 25. Qa6 Nc5 $5
26. Qxa7 Nd3 {with the idea to counter-attack after} 27. b3 $2 Qe8 $1 28. Qxb6
Qe1+ 29. Kg2 Qxc3 $17) 20... Bxd5 21. Bxd5 Rad8 22. Qf3 Qxb2 {Magnus is not
afraid of the active white pieces. He had calculated everything very well. A
more solid defense is} (22... Qxf3 23. Bxf3 Nc4 24. b3 Nd2 25. Bg2 Rd7 $11) 23.
Rad1 {White has beautiful pieces and managed to arrest the opponent's knight
on the a file. One more move and his initiative will become fearsome, but...}
Qf6 $1 {Or else the white rook will penetrate on the seventh rank.} ({At the
press conference Anand explained that they both committed the same mistake in
their preliminary calculations. In the line:} 23... Rd6 24. Bxf7+ $1 Rxf7 25.
Re8+ Kh7 26. Qxf7 Rxd1+ 27. Kg2 Rd6 28. Qf5+ Rg6 29. Re6 $18 {they both
thought that Black can now defend with Qb2-c1+(!) followed by Qc1-g5 with a
tempo...}) 24. Qxf6 gxf6 25. Re7 Kg7 $1 {The counter-sacrifice levels the game.
The pawns on the queenside disappear and White cannot use the weaknesses on
the kingside. The bishop will no longer be better than the knight once that
the play is concentrated on one flank only.} ({Bad is} 25... a6 $2 26. Bxf7+ $1
) 26. Rxa7 ({Anand mentioned both} 26. Rc7) ({and} 26. Kg2 {as possible ideas.
He did not like the latter because of} f5 {as he cannot take on f7 anymore.
But White should be better after} ({However, Black should be able to defend
after} 26... Nc6 {which is what Carlsen thought it is better} 27. Rc7 Ne5 28.
Rxa7 Rd6 29. Bb3 Rxd1 30. Bxd1 Rd8 31. Bb3 Rd2) 27. Rxa7 Nc6 28. Rb7 {as the
game defense} Nb4 {fails to} 29. Bxf7 Rxd1 30. Bh5+ Kh8 31. Bxd1 Nxa2 32. Rxb6
$16) 26... Nc6 27. Rb7 Nb4 28. Bb3 Rxd1+ 29. Bxd1 Nxa2 30. Rxb6 Nc3 {Diagram
[#] Obviously all of this was seen in advance by both the opponents. The have
heads to the logical outcome.} 31. Bf3 f5 32. Kg2 Rd8 33. Rc6 Ne4 34. Bxe4 fxe4
35. Rc4 f5 36. g4 Rd2 37. gxf5 e3 38. Re4 Rxf2+ 39. Kg3 Rxf5 {Diagram [#]
There is nothing to play for. Vishy Anand prepared a novelty which gave him
initiative in the center, but the Magnus Carlsen defended well enough to solve
the problem of the black color in this game. The result is leveled 2.5-2.5}
1/2-1/2
The result is equal 2.5-2.5. In the next two game Magnus Carlsen will have two white colors.
[Event "World Chess Championship 2014"]
[Site "Sochi"]
[Date "2014.11.14"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Anand, Viswanathan"]
[Black "Carlsen, Magnus"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[ECO "E16"]
[WhiteElo "2785"]
[BlackElo "2863"]
[PlyCount "78"]
[EventDate "2014.??.??"]
[EventCountry "RUS"]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 {Anand decided to avoid the Nimtzo-Indian defense
that brought success to his opponent in their previous match.} b6 4. g3 Bb4+ {
A small surprise by Carlsen. The last time the World Champion played like that
was back in 2007. The previous encounter of the adversaries saw} (4... Bb7 5.
Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Bd2 Bf6 9. Qc2 Nxd2 10. Qxd2 d6 {with
approximate equality, Anand,V (2780)-Carlsen,M (2843) Sao Paulo/Bilbao 2012})
5. Bd2 Be7 6. Nc3 Bb7 7. Bg2 c6 {An interesting moment of the game. Magnus
blocked the possible d4-d5 advance, so typical for the QID.} ({For instance,
after the more common} 7... O-O {White can react with the pawn sacrifice} 8. d5
$5 exd5 9. Nh4 c6 10. cxd5 Nxd5 11. Nf5 Nxc3 12. Bxc3 $44 {as in Nikolic,P
(2485)-Kavalek,L (2590) Wijk aan Zee 1982}) 8. e4 d5 9. exd5 {This is the
modern treatment of the position. The other capture does not provide any
advantage for the first player, know from the following game:} (9. cxd5 cxd5
10. e5 Ne4 11. O-O O-O 12. Re1 Nxd2 $1 13. Qxd2 (13. Nxd2 Nc6 14. Nb3 a5 15. a4
Ba6 $10) 13... Ba6 14. a3 Nc6 15. b4 Bc4 16. Qe3 b5 $10 {Karpov,A (2780)
-Tiviakov,S (2625) Linares 1995}) 9... cxd5 10. Ne5 {The pressure on the long
diagonal is unpleasant for Black but once that he finishes the development it
should be nivilated.} O-O 11. O-O Nc6 12. cxd5 Nxe5 {All of this was played
fairly quickly and Anand also played quite fast the actual novelty of the game}
13. d6 $146 {White at least gains the bishop pair.} ({The other move promises
nothing to White} 13. dxe5 Nxd5 14. Nxd5 Bxd5 15. Bc3 Bxg2 16. Qxd8 Rfxd8 {
with a quick draw in Komljenovic,D (2465)-Palac,M (2561) Sibenik 2010}) 13...
Nc6 {The only move. Weak is} (13... Bxg2 14. dxe7 Qxe7 15. dxe5 Bxf1 16. exf6
Qxf6 17. Qxf1 $16) 14. dxe7 Qxe7 15. Bg5 {White owes the bishop pair but he
also has an isolated pawn on d4 which can be easily attacked. He need to hurry
with the development of the initiative as otherwise the pressure along the d
file might be quite annoying for him.} h6 {Diagram [#]} 16. d5 $1 {The typical
central break is Anand's best choice. After} (16. Bxf6 Qxf6 17. d5 exd5 18.
Qxd5 ({Black can even grab the pawn in case of} 18. Nxd5 Qxb2) 18... Rad8 {
Black equalizes with ease.}) 16... Na5 $1 {The best defense.} ({In case of the
obvious} 16... Rad8 {Diagram [#] White could have sacrificed the queen with}
17. Bxf6 Qxf6 18. dxc6 $1 Rxd1 19. Rfxd1 Bc8 20. Rac1 {for the queen White has
only a R and a B but the pawn on c6 is restricting the black bishop and is
enormous power. The white pieces are generally controlling the board which
means that this should be compensation with great interest.}) 17. Bxf6 Qxf6 18.
dxe6 Qxe6 {Magnus does not like to allow weaknesses in his camp.} (18... fxe6
19. Bxb7 Nxb7 20. Qe2 Nc5 21. Rad1 $14) 19. Re1 {Diagram [#]} ({I suspect that
the Challenger could have posed more problems if he had transposed the moves
with} 19. Bxb7 $5 Nxb7 20. Qf3 {[%csl Rf6] The difference is that now the
black Q does not have access to the f6 square} Nc5 21. Rfe1 Qc4 (21... Qf6 22.
Qxf6 gxf6 23. Rad1 {looks nice for White with the pawns doubled on the f file.}
) 22. b3 Qa6 23. Nd5 $14) 19... Qf6 {Diagram [#] Now Black is seemingly in
control and as the position is very symmetrical the slight innitiative of the
first player should slowly evaporate.} 20. Nd5 $1 {Vishy fights for the
initiative!} ({One curious line runs} 20. Bxb7 Nxb7 21. Qe2 Rfd8 22. Rad1 Rxd1
{Not the only defense, of course} 23. Rxd1 Rd8 24. Rxd8+ Qxd8 25. Qa6 Nc5 $5
26. Qxa7 Nd3 {with the idea to counter-attack after} 27. b3 $2 Qe8 $1 28. Qxb6
Qe1+ 29. Kg2 Qxc3 $17) 20... Bxd5 21. Bxd5 Rad8 22. Qf3 Qxb2 {Magnus is not
afraid of the active white pieces. He had calculated everything very well. A
more solid defense is} (22... Qxf3 23. Bxf3 Nc4 24. b3 Nd2 25. Bg2 Rd7 $11) 23.
Rad1 {White has beautiful pieces and managed to arrest the opponent's knight
on the a file. One more move and his initiative will become fearsome, but...}
Qf6 $1 {Or else the white rook will penetrate on the seventh rank.} ({At the
press conference Anand explained that they both committed the same mistake in
their preliminary calculations. In the line:} 23... Rd6 24. Bxf7+ $1 Rxf7 25.
Re8+ Kh7 26. Qxf7 Rxd1+ 27. Kg2 Rd6 28. Qf5+ Rg6 29. Re6 $18 {they both
thought that Black can now defend with Qb2-c1+(!) followed by Qc1-g5 with a
tempo...}) 24. Qxf6 gxf6 25. Re7 Kg7 $1 {The counter-sacrifice levels the game.
The pawns on the queenside disappear and White cannot use the weaknesses on
the kingside. The bishop will no longer be better than the knight once that
the play is concentrated on one flank only.} ({Bad is} 25... a6 $2 26. Bxf7+ $1
) 26. Rxa7 ({Anand mentioned both} 26. Rc7) ({and} 26. Kg2 {as possible ideas.
He did not like the latter because of} f5 {as he cannot take on f7 anymore.
But White should be better after} ({However, Black should be able to defend
after} 26... Nc6 {which is what Carlsen thought it is better} 27. Rc7 Ne5 28.
Rxa7 Rd6 29. Bb3 Rxd1 30. Bxd1 Rd8 31. Bb3 Rd2) 27. Rxa7 Nc6 28. Rb7 {as the
game defense} Nb4 {fails to} 29. Bxf7 Rxd1 30. Bh5+ Kh8 31. Bxd1 Nxa2 32. Rxb6
$16) 26... Nc6 27. Rb7 Nb4 28. Bb3 Rxd1+ 29. Bxd1 Nxa2 30. Rxb6 Nc3 {Diagram
[#] Obviously all of this was seen in advance by both the opponents. The have
heads to the logical outcome.} 31. Bf3 f5 32. Kg2 Rd8 33. Rc6 Ne4 34. Bxe4 fxe4
35. Rc4 f5 36. g4 Rd2 37. gxf5 e3 38. Re4 Rxf2+ 39. Kg3 Rxf5 {Diagram [#]
There is nothing to play for. Vishy Anand prepared a novelty which gave him
initiative in the center, but the Magnus Carlsen defended well enough to solve
the problem of the black color in this game. The result is leveled 2.5-2.5}
1/2-1/2
The result is equal 2.5-2.5. In the next two game Magnus Carlsen will have two white colors.
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